Governor Pat McCrory wants North Carolina to increase its spending on substance use disorders, Medicaid and prekindergarten. Those are among the budget priorities McCrory laid out in Raleigh on Monday.
McCrory is calling for an additional $30 million to help people with mental illness and substance use disorders. That includes additional funding for what he calls mental health first aid training, emergency housing for adults with substance use disorders, and drug and recovery courts.
His budget also increases funding for treating substance use disorders with effective medications. Many public health officials say that’s an essential approach to fight the opioid epidemic playing out in North Carolina and nationwide. McCrory will also propose legislation to make an overdose reversal drug called naloxone available at pharmacies.
In addition, McCrory wants North Carolina’s Medicaid program to spend more to treat Alzheimer’s and developmental disabilities, including autism. And with the state’s pre-K program, his budget will include funding for an additional 400 students.